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• 1 2017-01-04T13:23:14-08:00 The Minnequa Branch of the Colorado Supply Company 6 image_header 2017-01-04T15:06:24-08:00  
  The supply store in Pueblo, Colorado was originally located on the corner of Northern and Abriendo Avenues.  When the building opened March 10, 1902, an estimated 20,000 people attended. Some were attracted by the promise of commemorative souvenirs, and others were curious about what could be found in “Pueblo’s complete department store”  that had been advertised in local newspapers weeks prior to opening.  The store was a success, and heavy business in the spring of 1902 forced the store to move to a larger building on Baystate Avenue.
   
  The final structure to represent the Minnequa Branch of the Colorado Supply Store faced Baystate Avenue and filled the north half of the block between Evans and Abriendo Avenues.  The new store was constructed of brick with a stucco covering and red tile roof, the building conformed to the architectural Spanish Mission style of other CF&I buildings, including the administration building one block to the south. Wide steps ascended from the street to the main entrance. Above the doorway was a cut out that housed a mission bell, which weighed several hundred pounds and was cast in Pennsylvania specifically for the building.  It announced the time by striking on the hour and every quarter hour. Inside, customers were greeted by display cases of mahogany and glass, and goods were divided into departments.  Clerks who rang up sales worked at stations that utilized a pneumatic tube system throughout the store and stationary cash registers.  Ceiling fans and central heating, quite progressive for a commercial building at the turn of the century, assured the customers’ comfort year round. At night, the store was lit with 1,250 incandescent light bulbs within arc lamps. 
   
  As the Bessemer neighborhood grew, so did the Pueblo branch of the store. The Pueblo outlet offered items for sale including home decorations, clothes, pharmaceutical goods, hardware, millinery and shoes, a small grocery, and a newsstand.  The main floor focused on groceries, meat, and women’s wear. A special department sold Navajo rugs at prices ranging from $2 to $75, Zuni pottery at $0.25, and Native American jewelry and baskets that showcased regional artisans. At the rear of the store, a mezzanine provided space for men’s and boys’ wear, housewares, furniture, and carpets. Upstairs included spaces for hardware, and in later years, electronics. South of the main building, adjacent to a courtyard, was a bakery and stables, as horse and wagon was the main system of delivery to customer’s houses at the turn of the century.  The Colorado Supply Company Store wholesale warehouse was also located in the neighborhood which furnished smaller outlets with a constant supply of merchandise.  At its peak in the first decade of the 20^th century, the Colorado Supply Company employed 135 people.  Unfortunately however, The Colorado Supply outlet in Pueblo caught fire on January 15, 1953 and never reopened.